Ballet stretch device



Nov. 5, 1963 H. KLEIN 3,109,646

BALLET STRETCH DEVICE Filed Sept. 22. 1961 Tlc'l- T1 Zl- Patented Nov.5, 1963 3,109,646 BALLET STRETCH DEVICE Helene Klein, 28 E. 10th St.,New York, N.Y. Fried sept. 22, 1961, ser. No. 139,950 s Claims. (el.272-79) The present invention relates to an exercising device, primarilyfor students of the ballet, and consists in the combination,construction and arrangement of parts herein described and claimed.

'Before a ballet dancer or student can perform the steps and dances thatconstitute the ballet, he must have developed a reasonable .turnout.This is the degree to which a dancer can rotate, or turn, his legsoutward from the respective hip joints. (A dancer who has achievedperfect turnout can, when standing with body upright, Ilegs perfectlystraight and heels together, rotate his legs so that the toes of therespective feet form a straight line at right angles to the direction ofthe body.)

To develop .the capacity for a perfect turnout, it is necessary to workand stretch certain muscles and ligaments in the legs and hip joints.

Many exercises have been devised for stretching those muscles andligaments, gradually and without dangerous strain. One such, popular andvery effective after limberingup exercises at the bar, requires the aidof another person. The ballet student sits on the floor, torso upright;the feet are placed together, sole to sole, and drawn in toward thebody, keeping the `knees spread apart. The assistant then presses theinsides of the knees gently down toward the oor, the ballet studentindicating the extent and duration of pressure applied.

An object of the present invention is to create a device which willenable a student ballet dancer to exercise generally in the mannerdescribed but without the aid of another person.

Another object is to produce a device lwhich is operated and controlledby the student dancer so that no more strain is imposed than cancomfortably be borne, thus avoiding the hazard of having the assistantbear down too heavily on the inside of the knees during the eort to helpthe student to exercise.

Still another object is to produce a simple, light weight structurewhich can be readily manufactured and carried from place to place ifdesired.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent fromreading this specification and examining the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention showingit in use;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a modification of the base for the device;and

FIG. 4 is a section through 4-4 of FIG. 3.

`Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 2 is a verticalcross-section of the ballet stretch device which consists of a base 1which may be circular as shown in FIGS. l and 2 or oval as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, and is adapted to rest on the floor :when the device isin use. In the embodiments shown the bottom 2 of the base is fiat with arecess 3 in the middle thereof. The top of base 1 may be smooth andconvex as shown at 4 or grooved as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Upstanding from the center of base 1 is a standard 5 which has a flathead 6 fixed to the bottom end thereof as viewed in FIG. 2. Head 6 isdesigned to fit snugly in recess 3 but is free to rotate thereon. A plug3a which may or may not be integral with the bottom 2 serves to retainthe bottom of the standard in recess 3.

At the upper end of standard is a handle or wheel 7 keyed or otherwisefixed to said standard 5 and designed to be grasped by the user of thedevice.

The upper portion of standard 5 is threaded as shown at 10. Thethreading may extend from the top of the standard down the lengththereof more than half way.

Threaded onto the standard 5 is a cross piece 11 which has paddedportions 12 and 13 on the underside thereof near the ends as viewed inFIG. 2.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 is shown a modified base construction wherein the b-ase15 is of oval shape and has two parallel grooves or channels 16 and 17on the upper surface thereof. When the device is being used, thesegrooves or channels are designed to receive the outer sides of the feet,the feet positioned sole to sole, which thereby aid in holding the base15 firmly in place on the oor. The standard 5 may be recessed androtatably supported in base `15 just as it is in -base 1.

The base, either in the form of `base 1 or base 1S, may be covered withfabric, rubber or plastic to make it comfortable for the user and givethe feet a better grip on the base.

In operation the user sits on the floor with the stretch device in frontof him between his spread knees (see FIG. 1). His feet are drawn upclose to the body and positioned on the base 1 of the stretch device allas shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing where the figure of the student isshown at S. The crosspiece is then positioned on the inside of theoutwardly turned knees with the padded portions 12 and y13 pressing ontothe insides of the knees. The student then rotates the standard S bymeans of wheel 7 until the desired pressure is exerted on the knees.Pressure can be readily exerted or relieved by rotation of the wheel 7.The user can adjust the device for any desired pressure and because heregulates: the pressure himself there is no danger of exerting more thanshould be used.

The bottom of the base may be covered with rubber, plastic, or felt,whichever material will best grip the floor and thus prevent slipping.The crosspiece, of sufficient length to extend just beyond the spreadknees and of sufiicient width to cover the area of the leg Whereonpressure is applied, may be made of metal, wood or plastic or some partsof one of these materials and some of another. If metal is used thedevice can, of course, be made light in weight if aluminum is used. Thepads 12 and y13 may be made of foam rubber or the like, attached to thecrosspiece by adhesive.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many moremodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising device for bailet dancers comprising, a base adapted tobe placed on the floor, a pair of substantially straight and parallelgrooves on the upper surface of said base adapted to receive the usersfeet, a standard supported on said base in a position substantiallyvertical to the plane of the bottom of said base and freely rotatabletherein, threads on the upper portion of said standard, a crosspiece onand arranged substantially at right angles to said standard and adaptedto rest on the users knees when the device is in operation, a kneepad oneach end of said crosspiece, internal threads on said crosspiece adaptedto cooperate with the threads of said standard so that said crosspiecemay be raised and lowered upon rotation of said standard, a handle onthe top of said standard and secured thereto.

2. An exercising device for ballet dancers comprising, a base adapted tobe positioned on the floor, a pair of substantially straight andparallel grooves on the top of said base, said base adapted to receivethe users feet on top thereof to hold said base on the floor when thedevice is in use, a standard supported on said base between Vpiece onsaid standard to prevent said crosspiece from rising up along saidstandard under the reaction pressure .of the knees on the underside ofthe ends of said crosspiece.

3.1 A11 exercising device for ballet dancers comprisinga base adapted tobe positioned on the Hoor, said base adapted to receive the users feeton top thereof to hold said base on the oor when the device is in use, apair of substantially straight and parallel grooves on the top of saidbase, a standard supported on said base substantially vertical to theplane of the bottom of said base, a crosspiece on and arrangedsubstantially at right angles to said standard and adaptedto rest on theknees of the user of the device when the device is in operation, akneepad on each end of said crosspiece, and means for positioning saidcrosspiece on said standard and for pressing said crosspiece downwardlyon the users knees in the direction of said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS286,812 Harris Oct. 16, 1883 616,244 Meyer Dec. 20, 1898 754,115 BaileyMar. 8, 1904 893,949V Taylor July 21, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS 592,624Canada Feb. 16, 1960

3. AN EXERCISING DEVICE FOR BALLET DANCERS COMPRISING, A BASE ADAPTED TOBE POSITIONED ON THE FLOOR, SAID BASE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE USER''SFEET ON TOP THEREOF TO HOLD SAID BASE ON THE FLOOR WHEN THE DEVICE IS INUSE, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT AND PARALLEL GROOVES ON THE TOP OFSAID BASE, A STANDARD SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TOTHE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID BASE, A CROSSPIECE ON AND ARRANGEDSUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID STANDARD AND ADAPTED TO REST ONTHE KNEES OF THE USER OF THE DEVICE WHEN THE DEVICE IS IN OPERATION, AKNEEPAD ON EACH END OF SAID CROSSPIECE, AND MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAIDCROSSPIECE ON SAID STANDARD AND FOR PRESSING SAID CROSSPIECE DOWNWARDLYON THE USER''S KNEES IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID BASE.